In post-Leibell Putnam, control shifts to several officials

10:33 PM,
Dec. 2, 2012

MaryEllen Odell

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For two decades, hardly a political move was made in Putnam without the blessing of former state Sen. Vincent Leibell, a Republican powerhouse in a staunchly GOP county.

When Leibell is released from the Brooklyn halfway house, where he was sent Nov. 14 after serving 17 months in a federal prison on corruption charges, he will find a different political landscape than the one he lorded over.

His absence left a clear vacuum in Putnam County politics that has been filled by different players - all Republicans. Among them are state Sen. Greg Ball, who won Leibell's former seat; County Executive ...